Small slab

[evmibo]

I was recently visiting family in southern Maine and had a couple chances to collect some cool looking rocks during low tides. I found several small slabs but this one intrigued me the most, what do you guys think about it? It kind of reminds me of an ancient pot that is just barely still visible (right side in pictures).

I like the idea of slab plantings and would prefer to see more of them, I think they provide less distractions and evoke a more natural feeling.

Btw, that's a dime

 

[evmibo]

I'm curious why there have been no comments? Do you guys find it boring, uninteresting and/or unworthy of being a slab? I'm all ears, being that this is technically my first collected slab and all .

 

[jkd2572]

Nice slab. I'm just a pot person. ........

 

[kakejiku]

It will be interesting to see what you put on it...

 

[chappy56]

I prefer slabs too...and that's a good one.

 

[reddog]

Might be nice for a small kokedama moss ball.

 

[Smoke]

Sometimes a person has to be satisfied with the views. 107 people so far have taken the time to take a look at your rock.


I think if you do something very creative with it and turn it into a piece of art, it may become worthy of discourse. As it is...not so much.

Olympics are on ...so thats where I'm going!

 

[tmmason10]

I was recently visiting family in southern Maine and had a couple chances to collect some cool looking rocks during low tides. I found several small slabs but this one intrigued me the most, what do you guys think about it? It kind of reminds me of an ancient pot that is just barely still visible (right side in pictures).

I like the idea of slab plantings and would prefer to see more of them, I think they provide less distractions and evoke a more natural feeling.

Btw, that's a dime

View attachment 25464View attachment 25465View attachment 25466View attachment 25467

I too like seeing some slab plantings, and hope to do so in the future. I agree that it can help the tree look more natural, and sometimes rugged. I guess we'd all like to see what you are going to put on it or ideas you may have.

 

[evmibo]

I too like seeing some slab plantings, and hope to do so in the future. I agree that it can help the tree look more natural, and sometimes rugged. I guess we'd all like to see what you are going to put on it or ideas you may have.

I've got a couple of ideas. it will be a while before anything goes on it. who knows, but I like the idea of a shohin zelkova.

 

[daygan]

Nice drawing! The slab looks good paired with something like that, I think

- curious - was that a scanned drawing, or something digitally produced?

 

[evmibo]

Thanks daygan!
digitally produced on microsoft paint.

 

[JudyB]

It is an interesting look for that proposed tree, how do you think that zelkova would take to slab life? I've wanted to try slabs, but fear the downside of drying out would be too hard on the tree. I'm wondering if some specie take to slab life better than others...

 

[rockm]

The problem with working with such a small slab is it will dry out extremely fast--I can't really tell the scale here, but if that's a coin next to it, it is VERY small.
That will affect the accordingly small root mass on a tree very quickly. If you use this for a zelkova or similar tree on it, you will be walking a razor's edge as far as the tree's health goes. Miss a watering, the tree is done.

Slabs this size are best suited for accent plants. They're not only less of a loss if a watering is missed or other error occurs, many accent plants are rock-grown species more suited to the conditions.

 

[evmibo]

Thanks for bringing that up JudyB and rockm. The slab is a small one, at 8.5" x 5.5".. Maybe the picture I drew was more of a design for a larger slab and zelkova - regardless, I wanted to share it with the community here just because I thought it was interesting. I'm left wondering if I could chip away or carve out a depression on top, where a tree or accent plant would sit, but I'd probably end up cracking it.

 

[Bill S]

Sometimes a quick peek at something is enough, but don't get the idea we didn't appreciate it, usually someone would tell you that one.

Neat how the end is bent over, must have slid off the pile before it really hardened.

 

[rockm]

"I'm left wondering if I could chip away or carve out a depression on top, where a tree or accent plant would sit, but I'd probably end up cracking it."

Carving is completely unecessary. Carving a depression in it will impede dainage and rocks like this are valued for their aged patina. Carving away at it will remove that patina and may cause issues with water retention (which is a good and bad thing, depending on the season). Slabs, for the most part, don't really require drainage holes.

 

[plant_dr]

How about a Portulacaria afra? Being a succulent, some of the concerns about watering would be relieved and it would still have a nice look to it. Here's a virt a I did. Obviously my MS paint skills aren't on the same level as Evmibo's.

 

[evmibo]

"I'm left wondering if I could chip away or carve out a depression on top, where a tree or accent plant would sit, but I'd probably end up cracking it."

Carving is completely unecessary. Carving a depression in it will impede dainage and rocks like this are valued for their aged patina. Carving away at it will remove that patina and may cause issues with water retention (which is a good and bad thing, depending on the season). Slabs, for the most part, don't really require drainage holes.

I should have mentioned that basically it would be an attempt at turning it into a shallow pot (with drainage holes). "Disguising" the pot as a slab; all parts carved would be covered with soil and/or moss - just an idea that could decrease the rate of it drying out. After your suggestions (and Judy's), I'd probably be best as an accent slab for now. Here I am talking about carving and turning it into a shallow pot with no rock carving experience I'll start practicing on a different, less desirable rock for now.

plant dr that's not a bad idea either, thanks for the suggestion

 

[tmmason10]

Actually a well timed post from bonsai eejit, might give you some ideas.

Bonsai Eejit

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Could look good planted like Eric's first photo in this thread too...